A few words, photos, random thoughts shared with my family and friends. If anything you see here makes you laugh or touches you in some way, please leave a comment or send me an email so I know you are out there.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

The following little essay is something that my sister Becky sent me today. I know I have been less than regular with my postings and now you might think I have stooped to plagarism. But I think if you admit that it isn't your own writing, it isn't technically plagarizing. And I did add the pictures! Anyway, enjoy it. I thought it was sort of funny and I bet you can relate, if you are a woman, that is. This is really just another example of why Ed always tells me "it's a man's world."

My mother was a fanatic about public restrooms. When I was alittle girl, she'd take me into the stall, show me how to wad uptoilet paper and wipe the seat. Then she'd carefully lay strips of toiletpaper to cover the seat. Finally, she'd instruct, "Never, NEVER siton a public toilet seat.Then she'd demonstrate "The Stance," whichconsisted of balancing over the toilet in a sitting position withoutactually letting any of your flesh make contact with the toilet seat.That was a long time ago. Now, in my "mature" years, "The Stance" isexcruciatingly difficult to maintain. When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find aline of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it'syour turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall isoccupied.Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking downthe woman leaving the stall. You get in to find the doorwon't latch. It doesn't matter.

The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented bysomeone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse onthe door hook, if there were one, but there isn't - so you carefully butquickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave ifyou put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume "The Stance."In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake.You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe theseat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance."

To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach forwhat you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In yourmind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried toclean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!" Yourthighs shake more.

You reme mber the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - theone that's still in your purse. That would have to do. You crumple it inthe puffiest way possible. It is still smaller than your thumbnail.Someone pushes open your stall door because the latch doesn'twork. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck infront of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against thetank of the toilet. "Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door,dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor,lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT.It is wet of course.

You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottomhas made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on theuncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that therewas any, even if you had taken time to try.You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew,because you're certain, her bare bottom never touched a public toiletseat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseasesyou could get."By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is soconfused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a firehosethat somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab ontothe toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.At that point, you give up.

You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You'reexhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocketand then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out howto operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe yourhands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women,still waiting. You are no longer able to smile politely them.A kind soul at the very end of the lin e points out a piece of toiletpaper trailing from your shoe. ( Where was that when you NEEDED it??)Youyank the paper from your shoe, plunk it the woman's hand and tell herwarmly, "Here, you just might need this."As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used andleft the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, andwhy is your purse hanging around your neck?". . .This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a publicrestroom (rest??? you've got to be kidding!!). It finally explains tothe men what really does take us so long. It also answers their othercommonly asked question about why women go to the restroom in pairs.It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse andhand you Kleenex under the door.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

It is no use waiting for your ship to come in unless you have sent one out. -Unknown-

Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

If I keep a green bough in my heart, the singing bird will come. -Chinese Proverb-

All that we are is the result of what we have thought.-Buddha-

Once we make our decision, all things will come to us. Auspicious signs are not a superstition, but a confirmation. They are a response. -Deng Ming-Dao-

I hope you enjoyed the pictures and the philosophical inspiration. The rainbow is courtesy of Kathy who took the picture right after the rehearsal dinner before our wedding. We all thought that was a confirmation when we saw it.

And by the way, if anyone sees this man today

wish him a Happy Birthday! He has always been my inspiration and always will be. I love you Dad.

Friday, June 02, 2006

I hope you don't mind seeing even MORE pictures. But I promised more of the grandchildren. They were so excited about the wedding. And I think they had a really fun time. I miss them already and can't wait to see them again. Arabella is 4 and Zeppelin is 7. Indigo will be 1 in July. Fortunately, when I move to TN they will live nearby. They already started to call me Grandma a couple of months before the wedding, although Arabella sometimes forgets and calls me Suzanne. She can call me whatever she wants because she pretty much has me wrapped around her finger, just like her big brother. And Indigo is working on it!

Proud Grandparents

Arabella and Zeppelin were a big part of the ceremony. They brought the wine and bread down to the priest for communion. Nobody got a picture of them from the front, but Ed and I saw them as they came down the aisle. They were beaming. Ed and I were very proud of them.

Zeppelin helped by taking pictures.

He mingled with the guests while he had his dinner.

He asked Grandma to dance.

Arabella captures the moment on film.

Arabella loved her bouquet and enjoyed being in the pictures, but not as much as she enjoyed taking them.

Arabella took some great pictures. She has a good eye!

Adjusting her equipment.

The photographer takes a break.

A quiet moment for brother and sister.

And then there is little Indigo. She made her presence known from time to time. But she was a little young to take pictures.

She did dance with Grampa, though. Grampa is just enamored with these three. And so am I!

Indigo takes a break with Robin, the mother of these beautiful kids. Can't you see where they get their good looks?

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Morning Folks! Ed and I were lucky enough to spend some time with Dad and Inez, Uncle Alan and Marianne and Gabe and Madelyn last week when we were in Florida for our honeymoon. We had a wonderful visit which was much too short. Dad and Inez hosted a delicious lunch at a very nice restaurant. It was really special to have a wedding celebration with these Floridians who I just don't get to see nearly enough. It was the next best thing to having them there at the wedding itself.

Gabe has given Uncle Alan the new nickname of Too Tall Hall and Unc gave Gabe the nickname of Last Chance Hall. It might be obvious why Gabe gave Unc that nickname, but you might have to think a bit about the nickname Alan gave Gabe.

During our pre-luncheon conversation, to my surprise, Gabe and Madelyn were somewhat puzzled about the Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit thing that I reference each month. So, if some of the rest of you are also not too sure about it, I would refer you to the archives on this blog. Go to August 1, 2005 or copy and paste this link:http://suziesmusings.blogspot.com/2005_08_01_suziesmusings_archive.html

Suffice it to say, however, that the safest thing to do on the first of every month when you wake up before speaking any other words, say Rabbit, Rabbit Rabbit. Just try it and I bet you will see that the month of June will be terrific!

It's hard to believe that pretty soon, June will be bustin' out all over and everything will be coming up roses! Time sure flies when you're having fun. (If you are under 40, you might not get the Ethel Merman and the Carousel references here. Just ask an old person. They will explain!)